Earlier this year, Between the Covers blogger Jeanne told our readers about Archetype, a debut novel by Maryland author M.D. Waters. In that novel, Emma wakes with no memory of her past. She begins to have flashes of memory and soon realizes that neither her doctor nor her loving husband Declan are exactly who they seem to be. She fights to learn the truth, and what she finds is truly shocking.

Prototype is the exciting conclusion to Emma’s story. The novel picks up one year after the end of Archetype. Emma now knows what happened to her, and she finds herself on the run from Declan. If she wants to survive, she must trust Noah, the man who she used to believe was the love of her life, and members of a resistance group that she used to help lead. The action ramps up in Prototype as Emma claims her true identity. This book is a genre-bending hybrid of science fiction, romance, action and psychological suspense.

Waters recently answered some questions for Between the Covers readers. Learn more about this talented writer, what she’s working on now and the music that influenced Emma’s story.

Between the Covers: What inspired you to write Emma’s story?
M.D. Waters: Growing up, my dad was a huge influence on me when it came to what the future could hold. I always had these things in the back of my mind: a planet-wide overpopulation, technology to control what type of child you bring into the world and that Mother Nature will always make it right. So when Emma woke me in the middle of the night, telling me she lived in a world where women were a rare commodity… Well, I immediately thought of all these things my dad believed possible.

BTC: Equality and legal rights, which differ wildly between men and women as well as clones and humans, are an important issue in both books. Have you had much feedback from readers about those issues?
MW: I have, yes, and everyone takes away very different things. Lots of positive thought provoking, but also some negatives, which surprises me. Lots of assumptions on my “plan,” which doesn’t exist. I see those issues as very normal and very possible, and didn’t even think about the actual rights issues it addressed when I wrote the books. We already live in a world where equality is a matter of perspective, and many of us are blind to the truth. Will it always be that way? I don’t know. I’d love to think we’re progressing to complete equality, but we’re human and subject to nature and/or nurture.

BTC: You share a lot of music on your blog. If Emma had a theme song, what would it be?
MW: “Lost in Paradise” by Evanescence. I swear there was a point when I listened to it on repeat for days. But I’d also choose “Tear the World Down” by We Are the Fallen. I felt a lot of Emma’s strength in Prototype in that one.

BTC: The books are a great blend of action, science fiction, romance and suspense. Let’s pretend that you just got the call that Archetype and Prototype are being made into a movie, and you have free rein with the casting. Tell us about your dream cast.
MW: Jennifer Lawrence, Stephen Amell (Declan) and Charlie Hunnam (Noah). (Triple crosses fingers!)

BTC: Will you tell us a little bit about your writing process? Where do you write? Do you write every day? Who is your first reader?
MW: My process is crazy. I go in these really long spurts of sleeplessness and coffee hazes. Then I binge watch television for days after because I broke my brain. I have a “library” in my house with my books and desktop, but I move around to different areas with my laptop too. Change of scenery always helps. My first readers? Charissa Weaks and Jodi Henry. I have a handful of people who read for me, but these two are always there to read short paragraphs to entire chapters on a whim. I couldn’t do this without them.

BTC: What can readers expect from you next?
MW: More of the same. I’m working on a spinoff of Archetype and Prototype, but also a Young Adult sci-fi [novel] that’s set in a world with its own set of issues.

BTC: As a reader, what book are you most excited to get your hands on right now?
MW: How much time do we have? Currently, I’m ready to get my hands on The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey. His writing really shook loose the voice in the Young Adult [novel] I’m working on, plus The 5th Wave was seriously kick-ass. So, um, gimme.